Lavish.
That was the only single word that could possibly be used to describe the massive structure before her. Extravagant carvings in the stone created not just the shape of the white marble mansion, but also intricate and exquisite detail that was small enough that the closer she walked, the more there was that became visible. What appeared at a distance to be deep grooves along a support column were in fact runes similar to what her partner's glyphs appeared as, yet different. Each was unique from the next like carved snowflakes. And though that alone seemed impressive with the sheer size and multitude of the columns lining the front of the building alone, the snowflake patterns themselves were actually carvings of dust crystals and grimm.
More specifically, they seemed to depict Remnant's constant struggle between the humanoid races and the grimm. She observed the sharp zig-zag of lightning fired from the palm of one carving and the puffy cloud of what would most likely be fire fired from the palm of another. The jagged shards of ice floating between the exaggerated creatures of darkness and the humanoids were interleaved with curling lines of what would most likely be wind. And occasionally a pitfall with an enraged creature looking up to its captors was depicted, bringing all five of the basic dust elements into focus.
But though the pillars were so detailed, and she could stare all day without taking in even a fragment of their stories, Ruby couldn't help herself from turning her attention to the statues that stood guard on either side of the path between the row of pillars that held up the cavernous roof of the entranceway. Half way down the path to the doors, two pillars were replaced with statues that each appeared as unique as the carvings on their neighbouring pillars.
Standing at least twenty feet tall were what could only be described as angels. Carvings that, although simple in comparison to the pillars, pulled at a deep part of her subconscious, making her uneasy. The faces of the over-sized women were unique, yet all were beautiful in a way that defied description. The marble seemed to glow with the purity of its stone, yet the expressions on the faces of the angels were bittersweet in the way that forces one to feel a sense of foreboding. They carried nothing and were dressed in nought but robes, obscuring their figure, yet not hiding it. Their eyes were trained down toward the path in scrutiny as if they were watching those who would pass them by. Atop their heads stood small crowns, much like the clip in her partner's hair, and yet again, each was different in size and shape as well as the seemingly random crystal that appeared to be embedded at the tips of each point creating a rainbow in the shadowy light.
Ruby noticed an inscription as she looked down from the closest figure, but couldn't make it out. She took a step forward only to have her hood yanked back, stopping her where she stood.
"Ack!" She gasped in surprise, backpedaling to avoid strangulation as the grip on her hood remained steady.
"Dunce, you've been spaced out for five minutes already!" Weiss huffed beside and below her. Her hand slowly releasing the hood as she gained Ruby's attention.
Ruby turned from the statues to find her girlfriend sitting in the same wheelchair she'd been given at the hospital with an expression that she could best guess at being a mix of frustration and amusement. The expression didn't last long, quickly dissolving into the look of exhaustion that had so rapidly taken over her features over the past few days.
"I'm not supposed to do any physical activity, remember?" Weiss prompted at the blank look Ruby was giving her. Still nothing changed, and Ruby didn't move, causing her to sigh and continue in a quiet mumble. "Can you please push my chair?"
"Oh!" Ruby felt a wave of shame hit her from her stupidity and quickly jumped behind the chair. Her semblance letting a few rose petals fall to the ground where she'd been. "Oh, sorry! I didn't mean to make a mess!"
"Ruby, it's fine. We're still outside… even if it doesn't seem like it." Weiss mumbled as Ruby slowly started pushing her down the path between the pillars and past the tragic angels. "Adds a bit of life to all the white anyway."
Ruby remained silent, sensing the bad mood Weiss was in and looking at the statues one last time as she walked past. Another sigh echoed out from the chair in front of her and she looked down to find Weiss glancing back at her.
"You're curious about these awful statues." The comment seemed more to herself than anything and Weiss turned back to face forward. "They're memorials for the women in my family who died far too young. They… there are thirty-five more in the back yard."
"O-okay." Ruby mumbled worriedly. Weiss had not been too happy in the hospital, but she had at least been herself. But ever since she was discharged, one thing after another set her in a worse and worse mood until she just stopped, remaining in a constant state of… Ruby hesitated when thinking of the right word, but defeat came the closest, with lethargic a close second.
"Only four were killed by grimm. Eight were by the White Fang. The rest were… suicide." Weiss stated factually. Ruby couldn't see the expression on her face, but could guess she was deep in thought. "I can show you a digital model of mine if you'd like."
"What?!" Ruby jumped, rushing to the front of the chair in alarm, earning a surprised look from Weiss as she processed what she'd said.
"Oh, no. Not that, don't worry. It was a precaution before I left for Beacon. You know, just in case." Weiss answered Ruby's unasked question as Ruby simply nodded and returned to push her chair. "I personally dislike those things."
Ruby simply grunted her agreement now that she knew about the statues and continued pushing her partner's chair. As the couple made their way into the mansion proper a butler opened the large oak door for them, allowing them entrance to a massive polished white foyer. Weiss simply pointed the way and Ruby guided her chair as she looked around, taking in paintings of arid landscapes, more intricate carving on the ceiling that looked quite similar to the carvings on the pillars outside, and light fixtures that created strange shadows as the light was refracted from countless pieces of crystal hanging around them. Combined with the white… everything, Ruby was reminded once more of the hospital that had been her home the past week. Except the hospital's white felt a lot warmer than here.
"In there, and…" Weiss pointed to the door as Ruby approached.
"And?" Ruby asked quietly as a servant made to open the door.
"Never mind, it's nothing." Weiss replied, turning her eyes back to the front as Ruby pushed her through the door.
The room beyond was a dining hall that housed a long table with thirty two chairs. A single end had settings of the finest silver and china for five people, and a single chair was missing next to the head of the table. Ruby approached and pushed Weiss into the spot as she took in the small tags with Weiss's last name that marked the setting. Next to Weiss was one she didn't recognize and her vision shifted to the other side of the table where she found her name.
"Weiss? What's that?" Ruby pointed past Weiss to the other door that led into the room, and as expected, Weiss's head turned to look.
"What's what?" Weiss asked as she turned back to find Ruby pulling herself into the chair next to her. The name on the setting now reading her name. Weiss looked into Ruby's innocent face and sighed as she gestured to the opposite side of the table. "It's crooked."
Ruby's face took on a slight flush as she looked over to the name plate. "Well, we don't want the servants to get in trouble. Good catch."
Weiss watched as Ruby nudged it straight and slightly to the side, placing it in the exact right place. "If my father asks, just let me talk. You're terrible at lying."
"Nah, you just know me too well." Ruby watched as Weiss almost smiled before her face once again dropped.
"Be polite, and don't say anything unless you have to. Once the meal is finished, I'll answer any questions that you want. So if you're asked, just say you have a previous commitment. I'll handle the rest." Weiss spoke as she looked down at the scroll resting in her lap.
The clock changed to exactly four in the afternoon and the near doors opened, presenting a man in a grand white suit with a red and grey tie. He looked over the table as he approached, revealing behind him two other guests who were walking in an equally imperious manner. One was a man with a simple grey suit, the other with an elaborate white combat dress with a gleaming sabre at her waist.
"Greetings father, Winter, Mr. Dunn." Weiss nodded to each in turn as they took their appointed seats, Winter across from her and their father at the head as he looked over at Ruby before his eyes moved on to his daughter.
"It's nice to have the whole family home again." He smiled as he looked pointedly at Weiss before looking over at Winter then to Mr. Dunn. "It's been some time since my daughters and I have broken bread together."
"An unfortunate side effect of running such a successful company, I'd wager." Dunn's voice was deep and gravelly, but powerful as he responded. "Made so much more unfortunate due to the beauty of them both."
"Thank you, but I don't much care for flattery. As I've made clear at each of your visits, Mr. Dunn." Winter replied before her father was even able to open his mouth.
"Nor do I." Weiss responded plainly in comparison to the practiced measure of her family members, drawing the man's gaze.
Silence fell for a moment before Dunn turned to Ruby who was sitting silent and still in her spot next to Weiss.
"Ah, where are my manners?" He asked with a laugh, bringing a more friendly expression out on his face as he looked at Ruby. "I do not believe we've met before. I am-"
"Broderick Dunn, owner of twenty percent of merchant commerce in the Mistral region." Ruby replied with a nod, smiling slightly as he looked at her with a small amount of shock, most likely from her lack of manners. "I've done work keeping grimm off your caravans with my team in the past. I'm Ruby Rose, a huntress out of Beacon."
"Ah, I see."
Silence fell once again as Weiss looked around the table. She was surprised to find Dunn silenced by Ruby's brashness as the servants entered the room carrying platters of food for the five. She turned to her father who turned his eyes from Ruby to her, his face displaying no emotion before turning his eyes back down to the sandwiches that now lay before him.
Weiss caught movement from the corner of her eye and found Winter smirking at her as she carefully took a bite of her food. Weiss followed suit, hoping Ruby would follow her lead with using her utensils on the food they had routinely consumed with their hands at Beacon. Weiss had told Ruby to always follow her lead in what she called fancy situations, but hoped that she would remember that now. Especially since she'd been so rude introducing herself to the man her father had been planning for her to wed.
Weiss realized that she'd zoned out while silently cursing her arranged marriage, and looked around to find only herself and Ruby still eating. She carefully placed her utensils down and Ruby followed almost immediately, despite having only taken a single bite from her newest sandwich.
"Now that we're satisfied, why don't we all retire to the drawing room for afternoon tea?" Mr. Schnee asked as he stood, offering Winter a hand as she too raised herself from her seat.
Mr. Dunn moved to quickly take the place behind Weiss and offer Ruby a hand, but stopped short as Ruby was already standing and unlocking Weiss's wheelchair.
"I must apologize for my brief appearance, but we've had a rather tiring trip. I feel I must retire early so as to avoid prolonging my recovery." Weiss spoke to the man, holding out her hand.
"Say no more, I shall speak with you when you are feeling recuperated." Dunn bowed and placed his lips on Weiss's knuckles briefly before turning to follow Mr. Schnee and Winter who were waiting at the entrance to the room.
The door shut behind them and Ruby started pushing Weiss again toward the butler that now waited at the doors they'd entered through. As they approached, Weiss seemed to relax and lean back in her chair again, resting her healing spine.
"Good afternoon, Miss. Is there anything I can do for you?" He asked Weiss in a formal tone that had a touch more affection than could be considered normal for the staff.
"Hello, Klein. If you could show Ruby where my room is, I'd appreciate it." Weiss smiled slightly up at him as he nodded.
"Would you care to hear about the manor as we go?" He asked, turning to Ruby as he opened the door to the hall and led them out.
"Uh… sure, I guess." Ruby replied as she followed, paying as much attention to the turns in the hall as she could, creating a mental map of where she'd been.
"Well, right now, we're in the north wing. This is the primary entrance, as well as the location of the primary dining hall, two sitting rooms, a drawing room, and Mr. Schnee's security headquarters takes up the northern half of the second floor bordering the foyer." He explained as he turned down one hall after the next, returning them to the rear of the main foyer. "From here, you can reach the north, west, and east wings by going down one of these three halls."
He led them into the west doorway and continued talking as Ruby looked around at the shining white of literally everything in the house while she quietly followed with Weiss.
"The East wing contains the servant quarters as well as a simulator room for combat training. You'll find a small armoury next to the simulation room stocked with all types of dust, and a workshop next to the armoury for manufacturing rounds as well as for maintaining your gear." He explained with a wave to Ruby's weapon. "The north wing was traditionally where the Schnee family has been housed, but Weiss chose to move into the West wing about six years ago. As the guest wing, it's often much less busy than the other wings, with exception for when large events are hosted on the property such as the upcoming ball."
"Interesting." Ruby replied as she was guided through a door into a back room. It had a very dusty look to it, but the old elevator told her that this room most likely never saw use from anyone except employees at the manor.
"Each of the three wings and foyer have a service elevator like this for transporting goods, and on occasion people. Normal elevators wouldn't get enough use to be cost efficient, and we often try to accommodate any disabled guests on the lower floors. But I had a hunch young Miss would prefer her own bed to a guest room." Klein spoke with a twinkle in his eye as Ruby looked down to Weiss who was nodding with a small grin on her face.
"Definitely a good hunch." Weiss replied to him as he stepped off the elevator and led Ruby back out into the hall, leaving a barely visible pair of dust lines and footprints on the spotless floor. As the dust fell from Weiss's wheelchair and Ruby's own boots.
"And here we are. Is there anything else I can assist you with?" Klein asked as he held the door open for Ruby to push Weiss in.
"Nah, I got this." Ruby replied with a wave as she turned Weiss back to face the door. She glanced around, and quickly touched Ruby's hand to stop her from going to close the door.
"Actually, have Ruby's stuff moved here. I… the last mission was… harsh." Weiss finished, looking down at her hands. "We could use the company."
"I'm sorry to hear that. If there is anything I can do for you two, just let me know. But for now, I'll personally deliver her bags." Klein nodded understandingly.
"Oh, and Klein? My father doesn't have to know about this. Not yet." Weiss said, her tone more asking than commanding.
"Know about what?" Klein asked with a grin as he turned.
"Thank you." Weiss sighed as he left the room and closed the door behind him.
A heartbeat passed in silence where Weiss seemed to deflate as if all the stress in her body suddenly started to dissipate. Her head fell to stare blankly at her shaking hands on her lap, and Ruby simply watched her, afraid to interrupt the calm atmosphere.
"I didn't know it was this hard, Ruby. I'm sorry." Weiss breathed quietly. If Ruby hadn't been listening carefully, she wouldn't have caught the words from her partner. "I'm so, so sorry that I pushed you to go forward as if nothing was wrong that morning at the inn."
"Weiss?" Ruby could only wonder what had stirred up this train of thought, though she knew exactly what Weiss was talking about.
"I… I understand now. It took me much longer than you, but I know what you felt that night." Weiss spoke quietly. "I've always been on the other side of it, so I never really thought about it. What it meant to… what it means to…. I'm so sorry."
"Hey, that's not fair! If I don't get to mope, then you don't either!" Ruby crouched and leaned her face right under her partner's so she had no choice but to look up into her eyes. "And do you remember what you told me that morning? How even though I killed that man, I saved you? That man almost killed both of us, Weiss. Even the doctors said your surviving was a miracle. You saved me too, Weiss. Every minute that I waited for somebody to tell me anything about you at the hospital, I remembered your words. They made me think that you wouldn't leave me like that. Like no matter what, you'd hold on for me. We've got each other's backs, remember? Best teammates ever?"
Weiss felt tears run down her face as she nodded slightly. "I don't deserve you Ruby."
"Shhh… none of that now. But listen, you're tired from the trip, so I'll help you into bed so you can take a nap. We'll talk more about this when you are awake enough to think straight. Okay?" Ruby asked as she brushed the tears from her eyes and cheeks with her warm hands.
Ruby watched the hesitation in her partner's eyes and leaned in to steal a quick kiss. As she backed away, Weiss was looking like she wanted to say something, but was holding back. Ruby wanted to ask, but decided that there would be time for that later.
"I'm not going anywhere. I promise." Ruby said seriously as a knock sounded at the door. She didn't move from her spot, even keeping her eyes fixed to Weiss's as she answered with her voice and told Klein to bring her belongings in.
After a brief exchange, he set her backpack down near the foot of the bed and left. And still Ruby didn't move.
"You should get some sleep too." Weiss whispered into the silence, breaking her eye contact with her partner. Thoughts of the night she'd comforted Ruby flitted through her memory as Ruby simply nodded and helped her into her nightgown.
"Weiss, I know that something is bothering you, but I won't force you to tell me what it is. I just want you to know that when you're ready, I'll be here for you, okay? No matter what." Ruby whispered as she climbed into Weiss's large bed next to her, gently wrapping an arm over her stomach and pressing her lips to her shoulder. "I love you."
"I know, and thank you Ruby." Weiss responded as her eyes fell closed.
Ruby watched as Weiss fell into sleep and simply relaxed next to her. It wasn't very often that Weiss seemed to need her, but she decided it was a nice feeling. Of course, Weiss had needed her a great deal on their many missions for Beacon, but that need was entirely different than this one. This felt… personal. It was something Ruby hadn't dared to hope for, but wished it hadn't taken a near death experience for her partner to show that dependence.
And therein lay the problem, she realized. Weiss was, for as long as she'd known her, always independent. She relied on herself for everything, even things that were meant to be done as a team. It had been a difficult time for their whole team when Weiss's instincts for control and order clashed with Yang's tendencies toward freedom and chaos. It had taken a greater part of their first year, but they'd all managed to change and compromise until they resembled the unit they were now.
But even then, Weiss controlled everything she could control, and even helped Ruby learn to read several steps ahead in her own sparring. Not that it was always accurate, but it was a fairly safe fighting method for unknown encounters. Yet even with that knowledge, Weiss had made two mistakes in this last mission alone.
The first of which could have cost her life if Ruby hadn't stepped in at that exact moment. Ruby shuddered at the thought, recalling Weiss's consoling words on the subject that she'd spoken the next morning. It didn't make the shock of the act go away, nor the scary thought that Ruby knew she would do it again without hesitation. And to top off her unease, the act had been effortless. But Weiss's words helped. It made that shock and fear lessen in favour of the joy of seeing Weiss's rare smile. No, it hadn't been a mistake on Ruby's part. But Weiss had no control of that situation, though Ruby was sure she'd tried, and it had ended with Ruby's intervention.
The second time, Weiss had more than enough time to analyze the situation. Ruby herself knew the timing of the man's shots. Yet she was still hit at point blank range. Ruby remembered the conversation they'd had immediately after initiation in the locker room. Weiss had been silent except where necessary to everyone else on their new team, but looking back, she'd purposely taken a longer than normal shower so that her and Ruby, who had let everyone else go before her, would be the last in the changing room. There, Weiss had told her that destroying the enemy meant nothing if you just got hurt in the process. At the time, Ruby had been eager to prove herself even if it almost got her killed. She had stared over at Weiss's porcelain skin as a feeling she'd never felt before settled between her legs. She'd simply looked away and tried not to sound too awkward in her response. It was trivial advice, but even so Ruby felt that there was an experience behind it at the time. Even now, she felt there was something that had taught that lesson to the heiress before they'd met. Yet she'd still allowed herself to be crushed by the large cannon. It was as if there was something, what exactly she didn't know, on Weiss's mind. And as an image of a white statue flashed through her mind, she realized how much it terrified her to think that Weiss might purposely be ignoring her own advice.
It was a difficult hunch to explain, even to herself, but Ruby was sure that something had prompted these events. Maybe not even something Weiss was aware of, even now. And it brought back the feeling of helpless terror she'd had as she watched Weiss's head fall to her chest in that swamp as she passed out with blood trickling from her lips. The terror of being the one who had to cut her partner open to relieve the internal bleeding. The one who had to stitch a minor artery that had split open, with no medical supplies other than a bottle of whisky, a needle and some thread.
Two knocks sounded at the door and Ruby immediately snapped back to alertness, thanking the interruption for distracting her from her thoughts. She carefully removed herself from the bed of her sleeping girlfriend and moved to the door which had a peephole installed. She took a glance through before she quietly popped the door open a couple inches.
"Good evening Ms. Rose." Mr. Schnee spoke with a smile, his voice not betraying the smallest amount of surprise. "I'd hoped to have been able to speak with the both of you earlier, but Mr. Dunn has arrived earlier than expected."
"Now isn't a very good time, sir. Weiss is sleeping." Ruby replied, opening the door just enough to allow him a glance at her bed where his daughter rested beneath the covers.
"A pity, but if you could spare a moment, I'd like to speak with you as well, in private. I'm sure it won't take too long." He spoke with an inviting tone that disarmed Ruby as the warnings Weiss had given her, as well as descriptions of her father contrasted with the man standing in front of her. Even the most recent call Weiss had made from the CCT tower in Vale seemed to have belonged to a different man, and Ruby felt she would have to play his game with caution until she gained a better measure of what type of person he was.
"I suppose I could spare a minute." Ruby replied as she stepped out of the door, closing it behind her.
"Excellent, let us move to my study then." Mr. Schnee spoke happily and led Ruby through the halls to the north wing. After a short walk, she was let into a room that was decorated quite plainly, with only a single vase for flowers in the center of a table between four chairs, and a large, ornate, wooden desk painted white with a single chair on each side.
Ruby was gestured to sit as Mr. Schnee walked quickly to the other side of the desk and took his own seat.
"So, we finally meet in person. As I'm sure Weiss has told you, I am Jacques Schnee, owner and CEO of Schnee Dust Company and affiliates." Mr. Schnee introduced himself grandly, the short silence after his words fell was once again extinguished as he continued. "And before I get any further, I feel that I must already be asking you a serious question."
Immediately, Ruby's thoughts froze as alarms sounded. She nodded slowly as he stared deep into her eyes, seemingly in an attempt to spot any reaction.
"Before I ask you, I must have you know that I already know the answer to the question I am about to ask. So…" He hesitated patiently as he continued to stare at Ruby. "What is the nature of your relationship with my daughter?"
Ruby hesitated as her brain carefully analyzed the question. She took a measured breath and replied in as even a tone as she could. "She's my partner, sir."
"Academically, yes she is. What about personally?" He prodded.
"She's…" Ruby once again hesitated, looking for something she knew she'd soon be unable to find. "She's my best friend, sir."
At this, Mr. Schnee simply watched her. Ruby felt the beginning of a nervous sweat break out on her hairline, and hoped his scrutiny would end soon. Thankfully, he leaned back in his chair and reached down to his desk. "This report here, tells me you are a fair bit more than friends. Care to explain?"
Ruby watched as he placed a thin folder on his desk. He opened it to reveal Ruby's contact information from the hospital they'd stayed at. The relationship field Ruby had written partner in had been crossed out to be replaced by the word girlfriend in a foreign scrawl. He moved the paper to the side to reveal a picture of the two sharing a kiss in the halls of Beacon. Ruby knew now, if she didn't before, that she'd have a tough time getting out of this one.
Ruby looked back up at Mr. Schnee who was still watching her carefully. She sat back in her chair as she carefully attempted to piece together a feasible explanation.
"Ms. Rose, may I call you Ruby?" Ruby's nod granted a slight smile to grace his lips as he leaned back over the desk. "Ruby, please tell me the truth. Are you dating my daughter?"
"I… am, sir." Ruby replied with a feeling of defeat. From everything she'd ever been told, she was about to be banished from Weiss forever. Or rather, Weiss would be kept prisoner from her.
Mr. Schnee once again sat back in the chair, but this time brought his hand to his chin as if in thought. "You know, Ruby, I can't say I know what to say. Of course there's the typical angry and overly-possessive father reaction, which, let's be honest, is fairly cliche when it comes to people of my status. Then there's the supportive and caring father reaction, but that can't happen yet for reasons I can't explain at this time. And finally, there's the skeptical businessman reaction, which seems altogether too impersonal. And at the moment, I'm trying desperately to balance them out."
Ruby looked up at him as he grinned across the desk at her in a pained sort of way. Ruby didn't know what was happening anymore so she simply braced herself and waited patiently for him to continue. The silence stretched and seconds turned into minutes as Mr. Schnee simply stroked the tip of his white moustache in thought.
"You know, I thought that by bringing you here, I'd be able to figure out which reaction is appropriate for this situation. I suppose I may need to ask one more question of you." He spoke as if decided and pulled a paper and pen from a drawer in his desk. He made a show of writing on it before turning it over and sliding it across toward Ruby. "If you had the option between my daughter and an unimaginable amount of money, which would you choose?"
Ruby slowly reached for the paper, keeping her eyes on Mr. Schnee. She thought she could see something like a shimmer beneath the stone in his eyes as her hand landed on the paper. Immediately, she knew that his question hadn't been what he was really asking. Ruby pushed the paper back across the desk and returned to her seat. "Sir, I've lived without much money my whole life. To be honest, it doesn't mean anything to me."
"Maybe if I multiply it by a thousand." Mr. Schnee flipped the paper, making sure to make a show of keeping the number hidden as he scribbled something more before returning it to Ruby's side of the desk.
Ruby simply stared at the man before her. She knew his game, and she knew why he was playing it. Undoubtedly, it would have made anyone truly there for any dishonourable reason fold. But she had never wanted Weiss's money. She'd always looked for something more intangible.
"Sorry sir, but I already have something more valuable." Ruby replied as she smiled and pulled out her scroll.
"Oh?" Mr. Schnee sat forward with a seemingly angry expression now gracing his features. Ruby carefully opened her photo album and turned on the built in projector as the desk made a perfect screen.
She picked out picture after picture she'd taken of Weiss, some with her, some with others, but all of Weiss smiling that natural smile. She also showed pictures of her other teammates and friends taken around the same time to piece together a few of the adventures they'd shared together. Without words, Ruby told a story of how she felt for Weiss and how Weiss felt for everyone. The last photo was one Yang had taken after the two had come back from a mission that happened to involve a lot of grimm. Both her and Weiss were leaning against each other as they nursed their wounds on their arms while they walked down the street back to Beacon. Yang had taken the picture to show them that they looked like they'd gone through a blender, but Ruby had kept it just because despite their injuries and fatigue, they were both smiling.
"I value my friends, Mr. Schnee." Ruby spoke as she turned off her scroll and replaced it in her pocket. "They're the most important thing in the world to me, but Weiss isn't just my friend. I'm in love with her. I have been for three years. And nothing you offer can replace what she means to me."
Mr. Schnee's face once again faded into thoughtfulness as he appraised the woman in front of him. Once again, the seconds stretched to minutes before he released a tired sigh.
"You'd make a bad businesswoman, Ruby." He stated with a wry grin. "Although I appreciate your honesty, you should never play every card in your hand at once."
"Who said I did?" Ruby asked with a coy expression on her face. Silently, she thanked Weiss for unknowingly teaching her many of these political expressions and tactics she'd been using lately.
"Fair enough." Came the reply. "But from my perspective, you've bared your hand, so I shall do the same to you."
Mr. Schnee seemed to sink back into his thoughts for a while, his eyes betraying his distraction as he obviously thought of what to say and what to keep unsaid.
"I am not a very nice person, nor am I one gifted with fatherly instincts." He spoke carefully. "I'm sure by your hesitant reactions to me up until this point, that you've heard much more about me than I have of you. I assume most of it was not pleasant. However, these past few years, it seems age has caught up and given me an altered perspective on life."
There he stopped to think again, as Ruby absorbed the information of what he said, and the information left unsaid. This again, was another side of the man Ruby had always been told to avoid at all costs. It was almost disconcerting to the extent she recognized the faint possibility that this was all an act for her sake. Though she found it hard to believe, the things Weiss had told her over the few years they'd been partners kept it within the realm of possibility. With her new outlook on the conversation fixed in her mind, Ruby waited for her girlfriend's father to continue.
"You see, Ruby. I have always been good with business. My father once called me a regular Machiavelli, though at the time I did not recognize it for what it was. It was only much later I understood why he'd called me that. Though as most things tend to go, damage is much more easily created than fixed." Mr. Schnee stood and walked to the window behind his desk and looked out at the courtyard below. "I have done unspeakable things in my life, Ruby. Things I am neither proud of, nor happy with. Some of those things have affected those it should not. Namely Winter, Weiss, and her younger brother Whitley whom you've yet to meet. I've done it all in the name of success and superiority, only realizing in these past few years as they've all left me that I was only damaging what was more important. I won't blame my actions on my heritage as I married into this family. But I will admit I was wrong to continue a legacy that has been upheld beneath the name of Schnee for more than a century."
He turned back away from the window and took a seat once more. He looked carefully at Ruby before he leaned forward, his face the most serious Ruby had ever seen him.
"I cannot ask for forgiveness, Ruby. I do not deserve it. I may never deserve it. But I do have a favour to ask. One that will right a wrong twenty years in the making before it is too late." Mr. Schnee said slowly. "Will you help me?"
"What do you want?" Ruby asked carefully. Her instincts were screaming danger at her but she had no choice but to listen.
"For now, nothing." Mr. Schnee relaxed back into his chair. The atmosphere suddenly lightened and Ruby's instincts relaxed slightly at the oddly abrupt change. "Help my daughter recover. I'm sure you'd do so without my asking, but let this be the request of a failed father. Stay by her side, and do not let her know that I will support you. Yes, you haven't misheard, I do wish for her happiness as well. But there is a part I must play as of yet, and for that I must remain the villain in her eyes. Just know that Weiss's happiness is the goal, and a great many things rely on this one point. She must not know that I support your relationship. Do you understand?"
It took Ruby a few minutes to process all that he'd said, but even then, it left Ruby with more questions than answers. Either way, she could tell that there was something else going on that wasn't being said. So, she answered as politically as she could.
"I understand what you're asking me, but not why." She said as simply as she could. The instincts inside her telling her she had to stand her ground and draw the line in the sand, as it were. "I see no reason why I can't play along for now. But if I have reason not to, don't think that I'll hesitate to take Weiss's side. And I'll warn you now, my friends have done the impossible on countless missions. They will back both myself and Weiss without any reason or hesitation. And Mr. Schnee, I'm not terrifically good with all these fancy words, so I'll say this as plainly as I can. If you try so much as to stand between Weiss and I, I'll cut you, and anyone else in the way, down where you stand. Do you understand me?"
"You're related to Qrow Branwen, I believe? Yes, I believe I understand perfectly." Mr. Schnee nodded with a satisfied grin on his lips.
Ruby rose and left the room, her heart racing as she jogged back to Weiss's room. She let herself in and locked the door before doing a quick sweep to ensure nobody had snuck in while she'd been gone. In hindsight, it had been stupid to leave the door unlocked, but she found no trace of anyone except herself and her girlfriend in the room. She yawned then, realizing how tiring the conversation had been and the toll it'd taken on her.
Carefully, she resumed her place on Weiss's bed, placing her hand gently atop Weiss's stomach as she placed a gentle kiss on her shoulder. Weiss remained asleep, giving no indication she'd felt Ruby reenter the bed. Her breathing simply rolling slowly in and out as her body recovered the energy it needed to heal.
Ruby smiled at the cute look on Weiss's face before she herself started to drift off. Thoughts of Mr. Schnee already fading in favour of the beautiful woman next to her. All her worries could wait. She could think them through later. After all, Weiss was in her arms, and that was the most important thing in the world.
AN:
Whoa, I'm back! Guess that's what happens when life gets into the coffee... anyhow, that happens. I'll be posting for this story a couple more times this month, as it is February (I love to read month). After that, hopefully I don't have to take an unintended hiatus again and I'll actually find time to finish this story (before you ask: no, not close to done yet).
Anyways, as always:
Thank you all for reading, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter.